Clock or indicating device

ABSTRACT

A clock or suchlike indicating device consisting of a basesupported fixed clockdial, provided with a bearing and the transmission for the hands, and a movable plate parallel to said dial, said plate being coupled to the shaft of a motor which is housed in said base, this movable plate being pivotally fixed to the clockdial at one point at least, situated opposite to the motor shaft at a certain distance from the handshaft, and having a noncircular bore internally geared, capable of cooperating with a pinion protruding into this bore and connected to the handshaft, the construction being such that the motion of the movable plate with respect to the fixed clockdial is transformed from a circular motion at the driving point into a linear motion at the pivoting point in the clockdial.

United States Patent [72] Inventor JanWalma Haagweg 80, Monster, Netherlands [21] Appl. No. 1,077 [22] Filed Jan. 7, 1970 [45] Patented Jan.4,1972

[32] Priority Feb. 12, 1969 [33] Netherlands [3 l 6902227 [54] CLOCK OR INDICATING DEVICE [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,498,045 3/1970 Kemenczky 58/7 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Edith C. Simmons Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT: A clock or suchlike indicating device consisting of a base-supported fixed clockdial, provided with a bearing and the transmission for the hands, and a movable plate parallel to said dial, said plate being coupled to the shaft of a motor which is housed in said base, this movable plate being pivotally fixed to the clockdial at one point at least, situated opposite to the motor shaft at a certain distance from the handshaft, and having a noncircular bore internally geared, capable of cooperating with a pinion protruding into this bore and connected to the handshaft, the construction being such that the motion of the movable plate with respect to the fixed clockdial is transformed from a circular motion at the driving point into a linear motion at the pivoting point in the clockdial.

PATENTEDJAN 4m 3.631.668

SHEET 1 OF 2 fig.1

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ll mhmM PATENIEUJAN 41912 3631.668 7 sum 2 0F 2 INVENTOR.

CLOCK R INDICATING DEVICE The fixed clockdial supports a pivot, forming the pivoting point for an excentric bushing, located in a bore of the movable plate and connected to the shaft of the driving motor, whereas the clockdial has a pivot at a certain distance above the handshaft, said pivot protruding into a slotted hole, located in the movable plate and directed to that handshaft, the internal gearing in said plate having a noncircular basic form.

The pinion connected to the handshafi and cooperating with the internal gearing of the movable plate, is connected all-sidedly resilient to that shaft, a toroidal rubber ring being provided between the pinion and the handshaft, forming a slip coupling and a pushbutton connection as well.

A method of manufacturing an unround, particularly oval or elliptical internal gearing in which an internal gearing of circular shape is cut into a disc of an elastic material, which gearing is pressed on an oval or elliptical mandrel, thereafter the then unround disc is turned on a lathe and removed from the mandrel and is finally pressed into a circularly shaped bore, thus forming an unround internal gearing.

This invention relates to a clock or suchlike indicating device consisting of a clockdial supported by a base and provided with movable hands with respect to the dial and a driving mechanism disposed in said base, the movement of this mechanism being transferred to the hands.

A construction is known in which the moving organ is of round design being geared at its circumference, which gearing cooperates with a pinion, thus providing a certain way of transmission. In the known clock a relatively great number of parts are necessary to put this clock in operation. The object of this invention is to reduce this number of parts.

The clock or indicating device according to this invention comprises a basesupported, fixed clockdial provided with a bearing and the transmission of the hands, and a movable plate parallel to this dial, connected to the shaft of a motor, which is housed in the base of the device, this movable plate being pivotally fixed to the clockdial at one point at least situated opposite the motorshaft at a certain distance from the handshaft and having a noncircular bore internally geared, capable of cooperating with a pinion protruding into this bore and connected to the handshaft, the construction being such that the movement of the movable plate with respect to the fixed clockdial is transformed from a circular motion at the driving point into a linear motion at the pivoting point in the clockdial.

Surprisingly a minimum number of transmission parts is sufficient then, the clock on the other hand having a fine, esthetical appearance. The clockdial as well as the movable plate can be carried out in any desirable form, which of course also applies to the base.

With a clock according to this invention parts can be placed in between the driving point and the upper bearing permitting circular movements being directly derived. Without any objection this clock can be provided with dateand other indicating means.

According to a suitable construction the fixed clockdial supports a pivot forming the pivoting point for an eccentric bushing located in a bore of the movable plate and connected to the shaft of the driving motor, whereas the clockdial has a pivot at a certain distance above the handshaft, said pivot protruding into a slotted hole located in the movable plate and directed to that handshaft, the internal gearing in that plate having a noncircular basic form.

In order to ensure a smooth cooperation between the internal gearing of the movable plate and the pinion meshing thereon and also to exclude play, the pinion is connected allsidedly resilient to the handshaft.

Preferably a toroidal rubber ring is provided between the pinion and the handshaft, thus forming a slip-coupling permitting adjustments by hand.

Furthermore the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a noncircularly shaped internal gearing, particularly with an oval or elliptic form, especially suitable for driving of above-mentioned clock.

According tothe invention a circular internal gearing is cut into a disc of an elastic material, which gearing is pressed on an oval or elliptical mandrel and thereafter the then unround disc, having a noncircular shape is turned on a lathe and is afterwards removed from the mandrel and is finally pressed into a circularly shaped bore. Consequently the inner opening, that means the internal gearing is forced to show a noncircular particularly oval or elliptical shape.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, of which FIG. 1 shows a schematic section of the clock, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a elevational rear view of the moving plate; with diagrams illustrating movements of certain elements;

FIG. 3 is a detail on an enlarged scale.

The clock or a similar indicating device according to the invention essentially comprises a fixed plate 1 and a movable plate 2. This last plate 2 is provided with an inner gearing 4, to be discussed furtheron more in detail, capable of cooperating with a pinion 3, mounted on the handshaft 5. 6 indicates the minute hand and 7 the hour hand.

Mounted on shaft 5 is an eccentric bushing 8 carrying a gear wheel 9. This gear wheel 9 is capable of cooperating with the inner toothing 10, located in fixed plate 1. The gear wheel 9 has 11 teeth, whereas the inner gearing 10 is provided with 12 teeth.

The inner gearing 4 has 13 teeth. These numbers obviously depend on the driving speed applied to the movable plate 2, i.e., on the number of revolutions of the driving mechanism.

In the fixed plate 1 at a certain distance directed upwardly a pivot 11 has been provided, protruding in a slotted hole 12, located in the movable plate 2. At the same distance, but oppositely directed with respect to handshaft 5, a pivot 13 is present, serving as pivoting axis for bushing 14, which at one end is provided with an eccentric extension 15, protruding in a bore hole 16 of movable plate 2. The bushing 14 is connected with the driving motor 19 by an intermediate device 17 fixed to the shaft 18 of motor 19 by a screw.

Represented in FIG. 1 is the version of the intermediate device 17, having a flat protrusion 20, meshing with a diametrical groove 21 of bushing 14.

The clockdial l is fixed on a mounting bushing 22 by bolt 23, the bushing 22 being fixed to the housing 25 of the base by bolt 24. The same bolt 24 fixes the console 26, which supports the driving motor 19.

As clearly may be seen in FIG. 2, the substantially circular movement of eccentric 15, as seen in a direction perpendicular to the clockdial plane, is transferred into a linear movement, and all points between the pivot 11 and 13 are making movements which are not circular or linear but generally elliptical. In the case represented the movement at the level of the handshaft, i.e., pinion 3 is substantially elliptical, which means that the inner gearing 4 has to be manufactured in a corresponding way.

To present the losing of contact between the pinion 3 on shaft 5 and the internal gearing 4 and also to facilitate the mounting, pinion 3 is mounted on the handshaft S by means of an elastic coupling, in this case a toroidal-formed rubber ring 27, which is located in a groove on said shaft. This also pennits the movement of the minute hand 6 by hand without injuring the gearings. If at point 29 an internal gearing should be applied the circumferenfial line of which should match substantially the represented form, a circular movement could be derived at that point, corresponding to the above-mentioned combination of internal gearing 4 and pinion 3. The clock could thus be provided with a date-indication and an indication of the day of the week and of the month as well.

The line of movement above that handshaft 5 becomes more fiat being transferred at last into a linear movement of pivot 11, slotted hole 12 being capable of substantially radial movements in respect of handshaft 5. Also at point 29 (FIG. 2) the represented line of movement may be transferred into a circular movement as mentioned above.

The plate 1 and 2 are preferably manufactured from transparent material, the transmission mechanism being put out of sight by very simple measures.

According to the invention the gearing wheel 4 can be manufactured very stylishly.

First the necessary number of teeth are cut into a circular bore of a flat disc. Then the disc being of a more or less elastic material, in this case a transparent plastic, is pressed on an oval mandrel, the form of which is determined by the local movement and then turned on a lathe to form a cylindrical disc.

After removing the machined disc from the mandrel the disc retakes its original form, i.e., the teeth are located again in a cylindrical plane, whereas the circumferential surface becomes unround, particularly oval or elliptical.

By pressing once more this oval gearing wheel into a circular-shaped bore, the gearing wheel gets a shape as represented in FIG. 2.

Said bore can be directly applied to plate 2, whereas pressing gearing wheel 4 into a rather stiff accessory ring is also possible.

If the motor 19 of the clock according to the invention is put into operation, the movable plate 2 will move in the abovementioned way and the teeth of the internal gearing on wheel 4 will move pinion 3 in a slightly pulsating way. These movements however can not be observed by eye and therefore are not disturbing.

The presence of a resilient slip coupling 27 ensures a good contact between the gearing 3 and 4, whereas at any moment the minute hand 6 can be turned within the slip coupling 27. The number of parts is surprisingly small and the ensemble can be given any form wanted, particularly the plates 1 and 2 may be carried out for example in an angular form.

In the represented construction the distance between the pivots l1 and 13 with respect to the handshaft 5 is equal and indicated by B. The maximum displacement of the executing bushing is indicated by A. The line of movement of gearing 4 is in the represented case an oval or ellipse respectively, of which the long axis is equal to A and the short axis equal to 6A (see FIG. 2). From this drawing it can be seen that the division of the gearing 4 is more or less irregular.

I claim 1. A clock indicating device comprising a base, a fixed clock dial mounted on said base, a hand shaft mounted on said dial having clock hands mounted thereon, a clock transmission for said hands, a movable plate parallel to said dial, a motor having a motor shaft housed in said base, said plate being coupled to said motor shaft, said movable plate being pivotally fixed to said clock dial at one point located opposite to said motor shaft at a predetermined distance from said hand shaft, and having a noncircular internally geared bore, a pinion protruding into said bore connected to said hand shaft cooperating with said bore whereby the motion of said movable plate with respect to said fixed clock dial is transformed from a circular motion at the driving point by said motor shaft into a linear motion at the pivoting point in said clock dial.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein a second pivot is provided on said dial, an eccentric bushing mounted on said second pivot, said bushing being connected to said motor shaft, and the internal gearing in said plate having a noncircular basic fonn.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pinion is connected resiliently to said hand shaft.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein a toroidal rubber ring is provided between said pinion and said handshaft forming a slip coupling. 

1. A clock indicating device comprising a base, a fixed clock dial mounted on said base, a hand shaft mounted on said dial having clock hands mounted thereon, a clock transmission for said hands, a movable plate parallel to said dial, a motor having a motor shaft housed in said base, said plate being coupled to said motor shaft, said movable plate being pivotally fixed to said clock dial at one point located opposite to said motor shaft at a predetermined distance from said hand shaft, and having a noncircular internally geared bore, a pinion protruding into said bore connected to said hand shaft cooperating with said bore whereby the motion of said movable plate with respect to said fixed clock dial is transformed from a circular motion at the driving point by said motor shaft into a linear motion at the pivoting point in said clock dial.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein a second pivot is provided on said dial, an eccentric bushing mounted on said second pivot, said bushing being connected to said motor shaft, and the internal gearing in said plate having a noncircular basic form.
 3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pinion is connected resiliently to said hand shaft.
 4. A device according to claim 3 wherein a toroidal rubber ring is provided between said pinion and said handshaft forming a slip coupling. 